Here Beside You
by ZatsuneMiku1
Summary: *Sequel to Here Without You* Everything is wrong. Depression. Hatred. Self pity. What went wrong? No one is sure. No one cares. *NaLu. Should be easy to pick up if first story isn't read.*
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello! This is it! This is the first chapter to the sequel of Here Without You. There'll be more below, so I'll just leave it here.**_

It had been years since her predicament. So much had passed. So much happened. So many feelings were unlocked and pushed away. She didn't know what to do then about it, but now, she just gave up. She gave up on her feelings. She gave up on everything.

She hadn't even spoken to him since that day. Or rather, she tried, but he refused to speak to her. She just gave up. She moved on. Her unrequited feelings were pushed aside. Her wounds healed into scars. Her heart was as empty as a bottle. It was cracked like a mirror. She gave up.

She didn't have nightmares about it any more. Not often, at least. She didn't think about it any more. That was only if someone brought it up, which rarely happened. Everyone was too scared of breaking her apart again. She gave up on trying.

Lucy Heartfilia. Five years had passed since it happened. Five years since that fateful day broke her far from the only person she had ever loved, Natsu Dragneel. Five years since she had been kidnapped and tortured and pushed through endeavours none should ever have to go through.

Why did it happen to her?

Why did it happen to any one?

If it hadn't happened, she'd still be with him. They'd still be friends. He'd still be there beside her. If it hadn't happened, she never would have quit the guild. She never would have quit magic, storing her keys in a locked drawer. Loke and Virgo occasionally visited her through their own power, but otherwise, she didn't exactly call on any of her spirits.

In fact, she rarely left her home.

Without money, she was kicked out of her apartment. She left. She built a new home in the forest by herself. Without friends, she never received company. It took her a long while to build the new home, and of course she had to wait until she got better, but while Loke or Virgo were visiting her, they helped in any way they could. It took a while to build, but it had to be done.

It was a pathetic cabin, but she didn't pay for rent there. In fact, she didn't pay for anything. She lived off of the land, for the most part. Usually she ate berries or whatever she managed to grow. She didn't have money for anything fancy. She could only eat that which she was sure of.

She never went into town for anything.

She never had reason to.

Lucy's land was her own.

Lucy was on her own.

* * *

Gray sighed. The guild hadn't been as lively since she left. Or rather, it was lively, just not as it used to be. It was an awkward lively. It was a forced lively. Nothing felt right any more. Nothing seemed right.

Natsu hadn't been back in the guild for a long time, constantly keeping himself busy with quests. Mirajane wasn't outgoing. Not like she used to be. Even Juvia was quieter than she was five years ago. Everything was strange. Everything was out of proportion.

Not to mention no one had seen Lucy in four years. They tried to stay with her that first year, but she just pushed them all away. No one had seen her in four years. It was depressing. It hung on the air in the guild like that of when she had been kidnapped. But it was worse this time. They all knew where she was.

They all knew where she was located unlike then, but she wouldn't let them close. She wouldn't let them near her. It was too much for the most of them. It was terribly saddening that she, the outgoing and boisterous Lucy, would ever lock them out of her heart.

* * *

Lucy frowned to herself. Her hand paused on the paper, pen frozen in place. Writer's block. So far, she managed to write three novels which she kept to herself. There was no way she'd go into town to get them published. There was no way she'd go into town with the possibility of being seen and stopped.

She let out a soft noise of displeasure. "Lucy, how can you have writer's block now? You are so close to finishing!"

"I don't know how to end it!" she argued.

"But you have to end it. There are so many other ideas you need to start."

Lucy sighed. "I know. But I have writer's block. It can't be helped."

She set her notebook down and walked away. The only thing she could do now is rest. Nothing else could help her get over the block. She stepped out to her kitchen and found a few berries to snack on.

There was something preventing her from finishing it. Something holding her back. She popped a berry into her mouth, its juices bursting.

She grabbed a book from the bookshelf and made her way to her couch. She opened the first page.

She had read the book about ten times since her seclusion. She really had nothing left to do when not writing. She could go out to find dinner and check on her crops, but she really didn't want to. It was a good book, however. It was about a girl and a boy in a relationship when this or that happens and the break up. Long story short, they get back together and live happily ever after.

It was a story that Lucy dreamt herself being in a thousand times, only to be disappointed so many times when she'd wake. So much disappointment. It was a story she had always been able to see herself and Natsu a part of, only to be filled with terrible depression.

"He never loved you. You weren't even friends." a voice told her.

Lucy looked up from her book. "You don't know that. If we weren't friends, then why did he look for me so much?"

"Why isn't he talking to you now then? Why wasn't he there to help you?"

Lucy shook her head.

"He wasn't there to help you. He stopped Felix. Then he left you behind. Why did he do that? The only reason I can think of is that he never liked you."

She could feel something wet streak down her face.

"Sure, he saved you, but it was his duty. He had no other reason to."

"You don't know that."

"I'm only using logic."

In an empty room, the blonde cried by herself. There were no shadows lurking. There was no other person. She was by herself. She was crying by herself. She beat herself up. She looked down upon herself.

She shut her book quickly and threw it. Her hands ran up to her face, wiping fiercely at her eyes. It hurt. Everything hurt so much. Lucy looked around. Her house wasn't even put together nicely. It was mediocre at best. Her desk was the only nice thing. The couch was worn out. Her book shelf wasn't a book shelf, but more a pile of books.

Even her books were scattered.

Her books.

Lucy blinked and looked over at the book she threw. Her heart ached.

The woman threw herself off of the couch and to the book, picking it up with haste. She swiped at the cover and kissed it lovingly. It was her baby. It was the only thing of value she had. It was the only thing she cared about any more. It was her last and only love.

"Pathetic."

* * *

Gray slammed his fist into the table, calling the attention of so many. What were their excuses? Why didn't anyone force their way into her life? Why didn't they stop her when she left? They were pathetic.

He lifted himself from the table to moved out the door. There was no way he was going to let her be alone any more. She needed someone to care for her. She needed help. She needed someone to show her the light.

If Natsu wasn't going to be there for her, then Gray would have to fill the gap. He hurried through the door and made way to the forest.

A voice called behind him. It was one he recognized instantly. "I hope you know what you are doing."

Gray smiled softly and turned to see no one, though he knew it was Loke who had spoken. "Don't worry. I have no doubts. She just needs a friend."

He hurried on his way. The sooner he could get to her, the better for her.

* * *

_**ALRIGHT! Here it is!**_

_**This was the first chapter of Here Beside You, the sequel for Here Without You!**_

_**I hope you liked it. I worked hard on it.**_

_**I won't be updating until I get the third chapter written. (I'm trying to stay ahead of the game for once)**_

_**Um...**_

_**I don't own anything except the plot.**_

_**Love me.**_

_**I don't know.**_

_**I hope you guys enjoyed. Review, if you don't mind. I'd really enjoy a review. They make me happy.**_

_**Favourite it as well if you liked it! I'll be posting shortly.**_

_**Um... That's about it.**_

_**Review and favourite, please!**_

_**~ZatsuneMiku1/Rebecca Lauber**_


	2. Chapter 2

The forest was quiet. The greenery was brighter than the moistest of grasses. The sun barely shone through, however. And yet, the natural lighting presenting itself was enough to see everything in its glory. The trees were tall and aplenty.

The moss swallowing the bark of the trees were soft. And the extending branches were long, as though no one had even been through, which was mostly true. A nearby pond hummed with life. The fish were practically jumping out of the water. A small blue cat would have loved it.

But sightseeing within the forest was not the cause of being there. It was not the reason to be there. It was within the forest that a certain recluse was living. It was there that a female that was once known as a friend hid from everything and everyone, for that matter.

His dark hair gleamed under the golden lights of the sun. It caressed his features and hugged his blank expression. It glistened in the slight sweat on his brow. It was true to that of himself.

Gray Fullbuster was in search of a past friend. He was in search of the recluse. He felt as though the world needed her to rejoin society. As though nothing was the same without her; nothing had been the same without her.

Lucy Heartfilia, ever since her accident, she hadn't been the same. Ever since that damnable creature had taken hold of her, she's completely locked herself away. She's hurt herself. She's hid herself. She's done everything in her power to be alone.

Gray sighed, picking up his heavy feet slowly, still trying to figure what he'd say to the girl.

The only one as bad off as the girl was Natsu Dragneel. He never came back to the guild. He never stayed longer than a day. He was constantly off fulfilling a job and, in general, staying away from everyone. They tried to talk to Happy to see if he could convince Natsu to stay, if only for a short while, but Happy was quickly scolded by his 'loving master.'

Happy wasn't the same either.

The male frowned to himself. There were so many things he could say to her. So many things he could confront her about. But the question was, which one wouldn't be as... offensive?

He shook his head in complete defeat. There was only one way to handle it, really. Just go with it. Lucy was a smart girl. There was no doubt in Gray's head that she hadn't thought over an argument since her leaving. He would just have to counter everything.

No matter what she would or could throw at him, he'd be prepared.

* * *

The pink-haired boy sighed.

He was depressed.

He wasn't the same, and he knew this.

He embraced his new found differences.

The pink-haired boy cried.

He wasn't welcome home any more.

No one wanted him.

No one needed him.

He wasn't the same without her.

He'd never be the same without her.

* * *

It didn't take long for him to find her home. Gray had visited it several times before she turned into a total recluse. It really wasn't that hard to find. It was within traveling distance from the town. However, it wasn't within easy walking distance. A person would have to traverse a wide range of difficult rocks and areas with a little too much shading.

But he knew his way. He had found the easiest pass to take on the first time visiting. It even had nice views of surrounding areas, which was really just an added bonus to coming out to see Lucy. Of course, seeing Lucy was a complete privilege on its own.

It was within the forest in a small, cramped area filled with trees and a small pond of fish that the house resided. It wasn't that it was poorly put together, but rather that it was a wonder how the thing managed to hold as it did. There weren't any windows, and the door was withholding mold and decay. The walls were rough and messy, nails stuck out here and there. It was a death trap in the making. It was a wonder how anyone could live there, let alone Lucy, of all people.

He walked slowly up to the door and sighed softly. There wasn't a handle. It was really just a small pull of string that looked like it could break at any moment. Gray wrapped his hand into the string, not wanting to knock. He gave it a slow tug. The string ripped apart.

He frowned and mumbled to himself. "Of course the string broke. What else would it have done? Opened the door? Never."

A small sigh was released again and he tugged at the string a little more. Poor Lucy. It was a wonder how she managed to survive out there. Everyone missed her, so it was silly of her to be so alone all the time.

The door crept open, though even this was a mystery as to how it worked.

The lighting inside was preposterous. There wasn't any electricity, of course. All she had was a few candles. But how she made them or got them was still a mystery to everyone and wasn't one that was going to be asked about any time soon. It wasn't extremely dark inside for, since the house wasn't properly built, light slipped through the cracks in the 'ceiling.' It was easy to find his way around the one room home.

His eyes spotted her quickly.

In the middle of the floor was a body. It was hunched over. Gray moved quickly over to it. Greasy blonde hair was sprawled across the body and floor. It had grown since he had last seen it. Her clothing laid loosely on her skinny body. She had grown smaller since he had last seen her. There was no doubt that she wasn't trying her best, most wouldn't have survived that long, but she definitely could have been worse out.

Gray set off a small smile on his lips and set a hand on her back. She lifted her head up to look at him. She looked confused. Her eyes were bland and dulled.

"Who are you and why are you in my house?"

It wasn't as though he had changed too much over the past five years. Sure, his hair was a little shorter than it would have been, and he had grown perhaps a little leaner. But other than that, it wasn't as though he had changed to much.

Then again, it had been five years. She had lived alone for five years and never left. She never visited them, and they never visited her. Of course she wouldn't remember. She was probably more worried about her next meal to really remember him.

Gray's smile widened. "Don't tell me you can't remember one of your best friends, Lucy."

Her eyebrows squeezed together for a second before her eyes lit up with recognition. Her arms wrapped quickly around him and her head instantly fell into the crook of his neck. He moved to embrace her back. She definitely was much smaller than he remembered.

When she pulled him in tighter, he could feel each individual rib starting to poke out. She had tried her best, but it was obvious she was a little malnutritioned. Her body had more than likely gotten used to the meals she would have had to eat, so it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. But it wasn't good either. She needed real sustenance.

Gray pulled back slightly out of the hug. Lucy followed this order. She smiled back at him. "It's great to see you, Gray."

He couldn't tell if she was being true there or not. She was the one who pushed everyone away. She locked herself away from everyone. Was it really great to see him? Did she even want to see him? Was she telling the truth, or had she gotten good at telling lies? He did his best to shake these thoughts from his head.

"Hey, Lucy," he started, "how have you been?"

She nodded slowly. "Well enough. And yourself?"

"I've been okay."

"How are things with Juvia?"

His face heated up a little.

She giggled softly and nudged his arm. "How is the guild?"

Gray sighed, his smile dispersing quickly. Her giggling stopped with his sigh and turned. His eyes tracked away from her. "I'd be lying if I said it was as boisterous as it always was, Lucy."

* * *

The pink-haired boy sighed sadly.

Nothing was the same.

Nothing was ever the same.

Nothing could be the same.

He looked down at his shaking hands.

The pain he caused with them still haunted him every day. Sure, five years had passed since then, but the pain he caused her would never leave him. It followed him everywhere and all he did was continue to hurt everyone. He could never be the same person he once was.

* * *

Lucy's eyes shifted down lazily. Gray had explained to her the problems that had persisted in the guild. He explained Mirajane's new found sadness. He explained Erza's new found drinking problem. Wendy's reverting to her old scared self. He explained everything. Nothing was the same any more.

Everyone felt bad. They felt bad about not helping Lucy sooner. The felt bad about never visiting the girl. They felt down right terrible about everything. Most were constantly out on missions, not wanting to be around the tiresome air. The few that stayed around didn't do much. The guild was still number one, because people were out and about, but even people outside the guild could tell something was wrong about them.

And it wasn't as though Lucy's story wasn't known by the people close to the guild. They all knew about Felix and what he had done. They brought it up with the people in the guild, but it was clear that most of them were still talking about it behind all of their backs.

"Everyone is tired. Everyone is sad. Everyone is lonely. Everyone has changed, Lucy." Gray explained with a sigh. "Even I've changed. I'm not as out-going. Not as fun, as people have told me. I guess when you left, a part of me died. A part of everyone died."

Her mouth hung open for a second, searching desperately for the right words to say. She closed it, then quickly opened it again as if to say something. Her eyes hung sadly. Finally, she said, "What about Natsu?"

Gray's expression hardened. "No one has seen him in a long time. No one except maybe Pops. We haven't even seen Happy. He comes to the guild for requests when no one is around then leaves right away. None of us have seen him."

Lucy looked sadly at Gray. She wasn't sure what to say.

"The last time I saw him was the day you moved out here. I remember him telling me, still, that we were better without him any ways. He was saying that he still had a lot to learn and that after what he had done to you, he wasn't worthy." Gray swallowed hard, as though he was choking on a little bit of food. "He felt so bad about your incident that he's locked himself away, kind of like you, but in a different sense. He's punishing himself. A little too harshly, if you ask me."

The only person worse of than Natsu was Lucy. At least Natsu was keeping himself preoccupied. At least Natsu had all of the knowledge he needed to survive on his own. What did Lucy have? She had knowledge she had learnt in a book or two. She didn't know how to hunt well. She wasn't all that great at fishing. She had to learn things as she went along. At least Natsu already knew these things. Lucy had to learn on her own. She had to figure these things out or else she'd grow weak and, well, die. Natsu had always known these things. These were things he'd learnt at a very young age.

Lucy's face heated up, more than likely from holding back tears. She had no idea what her leaving had done to the guild. She wasn't prepared to hear what she brought onto the guild. The girl pressed her lips into straight line so that they wouldn't quiver, though this was unsuccessful.

Gray patted her softly on the back, realizing very quickly how she was. "No one blames you, Lucy. It isn't your fault that you went through all of that. No one blames you."

"Whose fault is it then? Natsu's? Th-" she choked on her words, "that isn't fair for Natsu."

"No one blames Natsu either." Gray quickly said. "It was an accident. No one is to blame. It happened. But trust me, if we could have, we'd change it all. We'd prevent it from happening."

"But it did happen. And there isn't anything you can do." Lucy said softly.

"Yes, I know. But Lucy, we all love you." Gray sighed. "This isn't my point. I didn't come here to tell you all of this."

Lucy's eyes softened slowly. "Why are you here, Gray?"

He shut his eyes for a second, his eyebrows pushed together tightly. "I came to bring you home."

**_Hello again!  
This is it! The second chapter already! I do have a lot more time now that I'm out of school, haha. But regardless, hopefully this lives up to my previous writing. I don't know, I feel like my writing has changed a lot. Also, don't worry, there will be some action type deals coming up, I think. It's not all going to be this sappy stuff I'm writing.  
Any ways, hopefully the next chapter won't take too long to write for y'all. Once again, I'm sorry if this isn't living up to the original works. I am working hard on it. I wasn't originally PLANNING on writing a sequel, so I'm just really pulling things out of my butt. I feel like I really like the idea, however. I am really enjoying myself writing this sequel. And I love you guys, so I want to write this for you guys.  
Um, as I was saying, I hope this chapter is alright. It is longer than the first one. But regardless, review and favourite. I love reviews. I scream on the inside out of joy every time I see one. Plus I do try to answer some reviews. You can also shoot me some private messages if you like. I appreciate that as well.  
But regardless, review! I love reviews. I love writing for you guys, so it makes me happy to hear feedback. Or maybe you have some ideas, I'm always willing to listen to ideas. Or if you need any help, I can do that as well. Review if you like to. I feel bad asking for reviews, but they really do help. And favourite.  
I love you guys so much. So very much.  
_**

**ZatsuneMiku1/Rebecca Lauber**


	3. AN ALREADY? Please read :(

My sweet lovelies. I have both good news and bad news. This is actually really important, so please don't just skip through this. I'm serious...

So I guess I'll start with the bad news.  
I am sorry to say this, but my computer is... well, fried. My brother's friend and he were messing with the wiring so that we could get my internet fixed. We managed to turn it on, but my brother's friend stupidly tried to mess with the wiring a little... And, well, he shorted it. So my other brother is going to fix it when he gets the chance. However, my brother who plans on fixing it always takes way too long to do anything. So it might just be months before it gets fixed. This is really devastating for me. All of my works were on that computer. I had so many chapters and so many stories. To be fair, I have everything saved on a flash drive, but without a good computer, what does it matter? It might take a little longer until the next chapter is up. I'm still working, but I lost all my progress on the third chapter, it being the only one that hadn't moved over to the flash drive yet. But I do have a new notebook. And so far my new version of the third chapter is thus far a little better than the original.  
Which brings me to the good news, I do have a notebook. I will write as much as I can until the computer is up. I do have my dad's laptop, but rarely ever get a good chance to go on it. But when I get a chance, I'll still update. It's not really that great of news, but it's a start. Hopefully my computer will get fixed soon.

I'm so sorry this has hadn't. I'll still do my best to update whenever I can. But it might be a little bit until I get another chapter uploaded. I'm sorry. My brother's friend is so stupid... I'm sorry. I love you all so much. I'll try to update whenever I can. I wish this hadn't happened, but I can't go back into the past and fix it. I'll try to update soon.

Love always,  
ZatsuneMiku1/Rebecca Lauber


	4. Chapter 3

Anxious. All he wanted was to break free at last.

Depressed. Everything he wanted had been taken from him.

Lonely. He knew he'd never see her again.

Abandoned. He belonged to such a disgraced name.

Realized. He knew what he had done was wrong.

Tired. He was tired of being haunted by a past him.

Dead. His old self had died.

Reborn. A new person took over his heart and soul.

* * *

Lucy sighed. There was no way she'd be able to go back. Not now. Not ever. She stood up quickly and backed away from her friend, shaking her head quickly. She couldn't go back. Gray got up and walked slowly towards her.

"Lucy," he said, "come home with me. Come home."

He held his hand out to her softly.

A cold breeze blew through the cracks in the wall. She stared at his hand. She stared at him. A pained look was apparent on her face. She shook her head again. "I can't."

"Why can't you?" Gray asked.

She kept shaking her head at him, searching for the right words. "I don't... I don't belong there."

"Why?"

Lucy sighed. "I just don't. I can't. I will never belong there, and you know it."

She backed away from him again, her expression hardening slightly as she stepped to her door. She opened it. "I'm afraid it's time for you to leave, Gray. I need to go out and find my dinner."

Gray walked quickly to her and grabbed her arms. She jumped in his touch. He softened his grasp as she squirmed uncomfortably. "Lucy, you can't stay out here."

"Why can't I?" she demanded.

"You are half starving yourself! You don't belong out here! You need to be with people. You are keeping your real self hidden from everyone! The Lucy I know isn't a recluse. She isn't a girl that hides from even her friends. The real Lucy," he started loudly, "the Lucy I know, well, she's a strong girl that is always there when someone needs her. Someone who never gives up!

"You can't stay out here! You aren't the Lucy everyone knows! You are just a shell of her, but I know the real you is in there screaming to get out!" Gray sighed. "You need to embrace everyone like you used to, not hide out he-"

"What do you know?" Lucy demanded, cutting her friend off in a huff of desperation. She slapped his hands away. "I didn't ask for these things to happen to me! I didn't ask for what had happened to me. I don't ask for the nightmares that still haunt my dreams when I manage to dream! You think you know how I am, but you don't know anything!

"You claim to know me, but do you really? I didn't ask to change, it just happened! The girl I was has died; she's never coming back! She was a naïve girl that was always relying on others! You know what happened? She, or really I, grew up. I grew up. I came to realize my faults and I grew out of them. I can't go back.

"It's not that I don't want to." she took a deep, solemn breath, "I just can't. I don't want to disappoint everyone when they realize that I'm not the same and that I'll never be the same. I can't be the same. Too much has changed already. I can't go back."

Gray stared hard at her, but her expression never changed. Her shoulders hung lazily, and her arms laid beside her. Her head was tilted slightly to the left towards her one shoulder. Her face was blank. Her eyes didn't shine. Her lips formed an almost straight line. And she sighed.

"Gray, I can't go back."

He opened his mouth to reply, but no proper words were exchanged.

He nodded and stepped outside her house. He'd have to make up a new plan to get her out and about. He'd just have to admit defeat for the time being. It wasn't that he wanted to, but rather that he had no choice.

Gray didn't give her a second look. He just turned around and started walking away. He couldn't do anything for her now.

* * *

The pink-haired boy frowned. Out of the twenty requests he pulled from the board at the guild, he was more than done. He had to go back now. He had to get some more. He looked down at his small blue companion. "Come on, Happy. We're heading back to the guild."

"Aye." Happy said softly to his friend.

The two walked in the setting sun quietly together. The reds and oranges of the sun slide out of the darkening blue sky, leaving a trail of greens and yellows behind. It was a real beauty to behold, but to the boy, it was truly depressing. It was like a dying flame being put out by the cold. To the boy, he felt it represented himself. To the boy who saw it every night, all it did was worsen his condition.

Everything was still prominent in his memory. He could remember what everyone around him was wearing. He could remember who was doing what. It was a memory he couldn't get rid of, no matter how hard he truly tried.

"Natsu?" a small blue paw pulled at the boy's sleeve.

He looked down at his friend questioningly. "What do you need?"

"Can we stop to see everyone this time? Or do we have to keep away from everyone again?" he asked softly. "I'd like to see everyone. I'm sure Lucy would love to see us."

"You know we can't see Lucy as we are. Or, at least, I can't see her." Natsu sighed.

"How about Mirajane or Gray? Can we visit them?" he retaliated.

Natsu shook his head slowly with a small moan of pain from a headache. He grabbed the small blue cat's paw with a forced smile. "Look, Happy, if you want to go out and see everyone, I'm not going to stop you. I'm not going to be mad at you. And you can be sure that I'm more than likely not going to go with you. If you want to see Mira or even Carla, for all I care, go ahead."

Happy smiled softly. "Thank you, Natsu. And if I learn anything of interest, I'll tell you, okay? Maybe something interesting has happened."

Natsu's forced smile slowly faded away. "Of course. Something interesting has probably happened, it has been a while, after all, since we've talked to anyone."

The exceed trotted happily next to his friend, holding his hand softly. Ever since they stopped seeing everyone, they had become closer to where this was more than normal for them. Happy didn't mind. He knew Natsu needed him, after all.

The pink-haired boy had given the cat of following him or staying behind when they left. It wasn't much of a choice. Happy knew that Natsu would need him. And Happy knew that he needed Natsu. They were going out on their own. They were leaving everything behind, for the most part. Besides, he knew that everyone needed a friend, at the very least.

Angry. He was mad at every mistake he had made.

Depressed. He was sad over losing her.

Tired. He was exhausted from being trash.

Alone. Constantly lonely.

He sat about in his darkened chambers. Every time he closed his eyes, he thought of her. She plagued his mind. She plagued his whole being.

What was she doing? How was she fairing? Had she forgotten about him already? Or did he constantly be in her mind as she was for him?

He didn't know. Of course he didn't know. He hadn't seen her in such a long time after all.

He couldn't help but feel it. He couldn't help but miss Lucy so much.

* * *

Lucy felt a chill run slowly down her back. It was a very ominous chill. She pushed it aside, more thoughts pulled deep into her mind. She had to be mental for doing as she was.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked herself.

"I'm not staying. I just want to see how everyone is doing. It can't be as bad as Gray said." Lucy argued. "Why shouldn't I visit?"

"Because they abandoned you. You don't need people like that." she sighed out.

She stopped in her tracks for a moment, just searching for an appropriate answer. When she came up with one, she smiled and kept on her way. "They won't see me. I just need to see them. They'll never know that I was there."

"Whatever." she frowned to herself.

Lucy beamed with a small ounce of joy. There was no reason for her not to see her old friends. What she had told herself was true any ways. She only needed to see how they were. There was no reason she had to actually talk to them at all.

She'd just peer silently through the doorway or window or something. She could pull her hood over her head. They'd never know. They'd never recognize her ever. She'd be just like a shadow. She'd be like the figure in the darkness.

The girl took in a deep breath, pleased with herself for coming up with such an amazing plan.

* * *

He had a plan. He'd walk in, get a job, then hurry out. He didn't have time to sit around and talk to everyone. He didn't want to talk to them any ways. The only reason he was getting a job as he was this time was because a certain blue cat had convinced him into it.

Otherwise, he never would have done it. He'd have gone about his business as he typically would. He supposed it'd be good for him to do something a little different for once in a blue moon. It wouldn't hurt him to see them, at the very least.

The exceed skipped excitedly beside the boy. It never spoke to its best friend, the boy. It was too busy trying to figure out what he'd say to his old friends. Too busy thinking.

"Natsu?" the exceed finally started. "When do you think we'll be back?"

The boy shrugged. "Probably about in an hour or so. Couldn't say for sure."

Happy beamed. "I hope we get there soon. I'm excited to see everyone."

"Yeah." Natsu said slowly, mind pressed on other ideas.

It was hard to believe that it had been almost five years since he had last seen anyone. To think he was already twenty-three years old. Time sure did fly by. That would make Romeo the same age he was when everything happened. It was absurd to think about.

Natsu sighed and scratched his head quickly. It was funny what time did to people. It ripped them apart. It pulled them together. He could only wonder as to what time did to Lucy.

Did it help her? Did it do anything for her at all? Or did it only rip her further apart? He really did not know. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know.

His heart skipped a beat painfully. Even know, the thought of his lovely female counterpart kept him constantly on his toes in admiration. Even though she hated him to no end.

Even though he had disappointed her.

Lucy breathed in hard-like. It was a tad bit painful as she swallowed an exasperation. She put a hand softly over her heart. It was beating far faster then she had been expecting. A shiver ran down her back.

"You don't have to do this." she told herself.

"No." she replied. "But I want to."

She closed her eyes for a second, doin gher best to regain her composure. When she reopened them, she hardened her expression, pulled up her hood, and took a few steps inside. It hit her hard.

Everything was silent. People sat at the tables, booze in hand, but nobody spoke. A few people stood by the guild's board, but nobody moved to take a job.

Lucy looked towards the tables.

In a quiet corner sat Gray. Everything was just how he told her. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't talk to him though. She couldn't risk blowing her cover.

* * *

He was already back in town. His small blue cat trotted gleefully beside him. It would only be a minute or so before he was at the guild.

* * *

Lucy did her best to hold in her cry. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"I thought you were going to visit Lucy?" a voice inquired. Lucy's eyes shifted quickly up.

Who was he?

Dark hair shimmered thoughtfully. A scarf was wrapped tightly around his neck. His voice was deep, but not too deep. Lucy found herself perplexed. Who was this kid? Was he new?

She looked at Gray. "I did go to see her."

"Yeah." he argued. "Yesterday."

Gray sighed. "After yesterday's scuffle, I decided that it would be best not to go today, Romeo."

Lucy gasped. The last time she had seen Romeo, he was just starting his teen years. Now he was almost a full-grown man.

"If it were me, I'd have dragged her out." he stated.

"Brute force isn't going to get Lucy back in the guild."

"It's still a pos-"

Gray slammed his fists on the table. "What do you know? You're just a kid! You didn't see her there, skinnier than every before! You didn't see her there, eyes avoiding any contact! What do you know, Romeo? She looks like she's about to break with any touch! And brute force will only speed up that process!"

The boy stood there, staring down at the older man. They stood like that for a short while before a small 'tsk' noise was heard and Romeo stomped off.

She stood up quickly. She couldn't take much more. No one seemed to notice her brash movement. No one seemed to care. Lucy brought a hand up to her forehead, distressed over the situation.

Lucy hurried away from the table. Not only did she want to leave due to her sudden surge of emotions, but also because something in her heart told her to leave immediately. She hurried out, only barely catching a glimpse of pink hair. She didn't have time to think about it. She had to leave.

He entered during her escape, catching only a sweet familiar scent. He stopped in the doorway, her name stuck to his tongue like glue. He turned to look, but was quickly away by the sound of his own name.

"Natsu?" a female's voice called.

_**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. GUYS. GUYS. MY COMPUTER IS FIXED ALREADY. My dad fixed it while I was with my boyfriend this past week. He even got my internet up and running. THIS MEANS MORE CHAPTERS MUCH FASTER! YAY!**_

_**Regardless, I hope you guys liked this chapter. I actually had to mix the original chapter 3 that had been stuck on the recently fixed computer and the new chapter 3 that had been written in a notebook. I actually had to make sense or else it wouldn't have made sense. I realized after I was rereading the original chapter 3 that I had apparently been writing ABOUT things that happened in the original version within the new version. So, as said, it wouldn't have made sense if I didn't mix them. Thereby, the chapter is just slightly longer than usual. Just slightly though. Very slightly.**_

_**So, I'm thinking the next upcoming chapter is going to reveal some real stuff. If not this next chapter, then the one afterwards. So stay tuned for that! It'll be exciting. I'm still trying to figure out how to reincorporate Felix, though I have a pretty good idea how to work him in. I'm also thinking about really using Romeo this time around. Any thoughts on that?**_

_**Speaking of Romeo, sorry about that. I was thinking about the 7 year time skip and everything... So in the first story, Here Without You, in thinking that Romeo was still 13, therefore Lucy was 17 and I decided that Natsu would be 18. (I looked everywhere for Natsu's age, but no website had it and I could have sworn he was given an age in a small part of the books. Then I saw that he was supposed to be them same age as Gray, so there.) And with the five years that had passed, Natsu is twenty-three. Hard to believe it myself. So therefore Lucy is twenty-two. And Romeo is eighteen. Unless I did my math wrong. In that case, my bad.**_

_**Sorry this is turning out to be a long a/n section. It wasn't meant to be...**_

_**Regardless, favourite and follow if you haven't already. Nothing brings me greater joy than someone following or even favouriting my silly ol' story! Also! Reviews are MUCH appreciated. I haven't been getting as many reviews as I did on Here Without You. I'm curious as to why. Perhaps it's just not as well known yet? Or perhaps it's just because I'm only on my third chapter? I don't know.**_

_**Either way, please review.**_

_**"Nothing brings me greater joy than someone following or even favouriting my silly ol' story!" I lied just then. Sorry. There is only thing that brings me greater joy. Reviews! So review and I'll be super happy! **_

_**I love you guys so much!**_

_**Review, favourite, follow!**_

_**See y'all in the next update!**_

_**~ZatsuneMiku1/Rebecca Lauber**_

_**P.S. I've actually gotten quite a few people who are following and favouriting my actual account. Thank you guys so much. I never expected such a thing to happen. It pleases me to no end. I love you guys SO much. Thank you so very much!**_


	5. Chapter 4

Natsu sighed. Looks like he didn't have a choice. He'd have to stop and talk to everyone now. He turned to look at the person who called him. Lisanna. Her short white hair bounced around her in an almost gleeful way. Her eyes shone like that of a morning star. Natsu forced on a smile. He really didn't want to talk to her at the moment, but he felt as though he didn't have much a choice, she had already called around to him.

"Hello, Lisanna. It's certainly been a while." Natsu said softly.

Her joyful face crinkled up into a look of anger. "'Been a while' you say? Natsu! It's been five years! Where have you been?"

He sighed. "I've been out doing my job. I've been back several time. It's not my fault if you didn't see me while I was around."

She slapped his arm quickly and hardly. "Not your fault? You are here and gone within minutes. It's not that I haven't seen you, but no one has seen you! No one. Unless you are now going to say that it's all their faults as well for not catching you while you were here?"

He pulled away. "I'm sorry, but I'm a little too busy to be lectured right this very second. I just came here for some jobs."

Natsu stepped away from the dumbfounded girl. He knew the way he spoke to her wasn't exactly correct. He knew he should have respected her a little more. And he certainly didn't mean his words to be rude sounding in any way. All he could just was hope they wouldn't be thought of that way.

The small blue friend pulled away from the conversation and ran to a person he missed. The person he truly missed wasn't there at the moment, so the cat went to an old friend. "Gray!"

The raven-haired boy smiled at the cat and hugged him softly. "How's it going Happy?"

"Well enough! How are things with you?"

"Could be better." the man admitted. "Is Natsu going to stay this time? Or leave right away as per usual."

Happy looked away sadly. "Probably leave right away. He only came here at this time now, in the middle of the day, because I asked him to. He was going to do it as he usually does."

"Good work, Happy." Gray smiled. He patted the cat on the head and walked towards his friend.

The pink-haired boy frowned. "What?"

"That wasn't any way to speak to someone who was truly worried about you all this time." Gray stated.

"I know." Natsu said under his breath. "What does it matter to you?"

Gray shrugged. "It really doesn't. I just came over here to speak with you."

"Well, you've got my attention, so speak." Natsu spat out quickly.

"She isn't well." He said smoothly.

"She?"

Gray frowned. "You know very well who I am speaking of. Lucy isn't well in any way. I think it's time you two fixed your problems with one another."

* * *

He let go of the man, who fell to the floor with a loud thud. His dark look wasn't quite gone, and he looked at the girl, his beloved friend, with a fierce malice. She didn't back down, however. She was desperate for him to back down instead. Her heart was pumping fiercely. She took at small step towards the boy and grabbed his arm softly.

Her hazel eyes ran up to meet his own hatred filled eyes. She forced on a smile as her hand ran smoothly down his arm and firmly onto his hands. She lead him slowly away from the unconscious man. "Calm down, now. It's time we went home, Natsu. There's no need to do this much."

His breathing got heavier, his chest rising and falling quickly in short breaths. His fist tightened within the grasp of her hand. She looked down at it with a small sigh. "Come on. It's time to go home."

The boy looked around the room at his injured comrades. Wendy was magic deprived and exhausted. Erza was bleeding, magic deprived, and, at this point, unconscious. Juvia was mostly fine for the most part, but that was because she had spent quite a bit of time just trying to heal Gray after the accidental injury she had caused him.

He looked back at his beloved friend. She was the most injured. Though Wendy had managed to close up the worst of the wounds, it was still apparent the girl, Lucy, was trying her best just to stand up. His tight fist tightened even more.

Even his own injuries were immense and constantly fighting with him. Natsu pulled his hand away from Lucy, it loosening completely. He raised it into the air slowly.

"Calm down now, Natsu." Lucy tried again.

And he did. He calmed down to an almost extreme. The shaking in his hand, that was still risen, stopped completely. He whispered softly, "How dare you?"

* * *

Lucy stumbled forward, tears stealing away her vision bit by bit. Her breathing was fast, and she couldn't control herself very well. She was running on impulse. She was running out of fear. Lucy hurried back into her forest, stopping only halfway to her house.

She leant herself again a tree, sinking down to her ground. Her hands were quick to try and wipe away her sobs, but it was really of no use. Her tears fell like the rain, soaking everything it can. The girl cried into her arm, giving up on the idea of wiping away her tears. She gave into her sadness, falling into its looping trap.

* * *

She was dumbstruck. Within second, the boy had swung his arm, his hand making hard contact with her cheek. Her hand instantly ran up to the stinging pain as she refused herself the right to cry. She couldn't cry now. She had to stand firm.

"How dare you?" he said again, this time a little louder. His expression hardened. "How dare you stop me? How dare you just say "it's time to go home?" You don't get that right. You don't deserve it."

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then reopened them, trying to keep herself tranquil. "I understand if you are mad at me, but this guy isn't worth your full hatred. He isn't worth it."

"Why do you get to say that? After we risked our lives to save you? After we our best, getting severely injured in the process, to rescue you? No. Lucy, you don't say when it ends." His words stung. "We never should have come for you."

Lucy could feel an arrow pierce her heart. It shattered into small bits. He had crushed her last bit of self. She couldn't even understand why he was mad at her. She stood there, perfectly still.

Natsu quickly walked past the girl. He wasn't sure why he had said such harsh words to her. Surely, she didn't deserve the harsh words. It wasn't as though she had done anything wrong, after all. But he couldn't stop himself. The words he didn't mean had already passed his lips. There was no taking them back now. He just kept on his way forward.

* * *

Gray smiled at Natsu softly. "Why don't you come visit her with me? We can go see her tomorrow."

Natsu spat out the little bit of beer in his mouth. Slamming his cup onto the table, he sputtered out, "Are you crazy? There's no way she'll want to see me. I said so many thing I didn't mean to her. She doesn't want to see me."

"Are you sure? When I was talking to her, she seemed desperate. She seemed like she was ready to move on. When I spoke of her, it looked as though her spirits were really starting to rise." Gray lied. "I think she really wants to see you."

Natsu scratched the back on his neck. "There's no way she'd want to see me. I can't take back what I said to her. She'll never forgive me."

"She's already forgiven you, Natsu." Gray continued. "She wants to see you."

"I wouldn't know what to say to her." Natsu said earnestly.

The raven-haired boy sighed softly. His lying trick wasn't working. He'd just have to tell him the truth. Gray brought himself closer to Natsu and lowered his voice. "She isn't well, Natsu. She's living out in the woods with a home she 'built.' It's a worn down shack with barely a roof. It's a wonder how she manages to live there without getting severely ill. Not only that, but she skinny."

"She's always been pretty skinny." Natsu interrupted.

"I don't mean like how she normally was, stupid. She's a lot skinnier now, Natsu. You can feel her bones without an issue. It used to be otherwise, but now, now it's easy to feel her ribs when and if she hugs you." Gray looked away from the boy, remembering how small her wrist had turned. "She doesn't keep herself well-fed. She wasn't meant to be living out in the wilderness for long periods of time as she is. I told you that she isn't ill, but it's only a matter of time before something does happen to her."

Natsu remained silent.

The raven-haired boy looked slowly at his friend, standing up from the table. "I'll meet you outside the forest tomorrow. If you don't show up and something happens to her, you'll have to live with your regrets forever. You'll have to live with the idea that you could have saved her. I'll wait for you all day. If you don't show up, and something happens to her, and you never get to apologize to her, you'll never live it down."

Gray walked away, leaving the pink-haired boy to his solitary thoughts.

* * *

Lucy looked up hardly at the soft, dark sky. She knew she couldn't live as she was any more. She couldn't let herself wither away any more than she has. Lucy lifted her hand towards the sky, watching as it opened and closed in pain.

Then it struck her. She keeled over, her stomach turning and turning painfully. She was forced into a haunched position as she coughed violently into her hand. It wasn't the first time this had happened.

When it passed, Lucy set her hand back down beside her, never noticing the vibrant red set within her palm. She sighed, making up her mind. She had to end it.

_**HAH!**_

_**AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M NOT SORRY.**_

_**Sorry this one was a little short than the past two. It still isn't shorter than chapter 1 though! So I don't care! Dx I did write it in one sitting though, however. And I didn't bother rereading... if there are mistakes, I'm sorry. I just wrote this all within an hour. And I'm too lazy to proof read. I'm sorry. **_

_**"I told you that she isn't ill..." AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I'm still not sorry. You guys can look up what kind of things causes blood, but I don't think you'll get what it is. ;D I want it to be a surprise, regardless.**_

_**Any ways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I really ended up liking it more than I thought I would. Um, you know what? This sequel just might end up really sappy, so if you have a weak heart to these kinds of things, HAHAHAHAHA I'm (not) sorry. So yeah, it might just end up being this sappy stuff instead of how I was originally gonna write it. I don't know. Plot ideas are still in the works for me. I'm just kinda writing right now.  
**_

_**So favourite if you haven't already! Follow if you want to be alerted to new chapters. OH. AND REVIEW! I really do adore reviews. I feel like a little bit of my icy cold heart warms every time you guys comment. It pleases me to no end.**_

_**Any ways, the next chapter will be up... well, eventually. Whenever I get to it. I actually hadn't started this chapter at all until now... I'm a terrible person. So yeah. Favourite, follow, and comment! :D**_

_**I'll see y'all in the next chapter. I love you guys so much!**_

_**~ZatsuneMiku1/Rebecca Lauber**_


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